Tapping tool



Oct. 29, 1968 G. M. RAPAPORT 3,407,499

TAPPING TOOL Filed June 6,v 1966 INVENTOR i/ma ivf/Wafer United StatesPatent Op 3,407,499 TAPPING rTOOL Gerald M. Rapaport, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to American Toy and Furniture Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Filed .lune 6, 1966, Ser. No. 555,555 1 Claim.(Cl. 30-367) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool punch having a punch-likemember slidably associated within a hollow handle which provides thereinspring and detent members normally resisting movement of the punchmember in one direction within the handle until overcome by additionalforce of movement of the handle to cause a blow-like reaction onto thepunch member, and with the spring member normally urging the punch-likemember in an opposite direction outwardly of the handle.

Tapping tools, which are in use today for producing designs on thesurface of metallic plates or the like, include a handle portioncarrying a fixed pointed punch. The user will firmly grasp the handle inthe palm of his hand and press the punch down upon the metal surface toproduce a design thereon formed by making a series of indentations ordepressions in the metal plate, or he may utilize a small hammer orother tool for applying the desired pressure. My improved tool has forits object the provision of a handle portion and punch, The handleportion is movable relative to the punch and is provided with meanswhich, after a predetermined movement between the handle portion and thepunch, will resist further movement of the handle, thus to require addedpressure on the handle to effect further movement thereof relative tothe punch. This added pressure will result in a hammerlike action of thehandle against the punch so as to effectively tap or punch the metalplate to produce an indentation in the latter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of spring means forreturning the punch to its projected position with respect to the handleportion after each tapping operation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention Will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view similar to FIG. 2, but showing theparts in a dijerent position with respect to each other.

The several objects of this invention are accomplished by the preferredform of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. In thisconnection, an elongated handle is indicated at 10. This handlecomprises two complementary sections 11, one of which is provided withlaterally projecting dowel pins 12 which engage in openings formed inthe other section. When the pins 12 are thus engaged in such openings inthe other section, the sections are secured together by cement or thelike.

Each handle section 11 is of substantially the same form andconstruction and includes an elongated bore 13 intermediate the ends ofwhich is a recess 14. The

ice

2 inner end portion of the bore 13 terminates in a pocket 15.

A punch 16 provided with a pointed end portion 16' is slidably arrangedin the bore. This punch carries a stop 17 engaging one end portion of aspring 18, the opposite end portion of the spring 1S bearing against theend wall 19 of the recess 14. The spring 18 normally projects the punch16 in an outwardly extending direction with respect to the handle 10.

In the pocket 15 is arranged a yieldable detent 20 which has an open end21. The detent has laterally extending portions 22 which engage uponopposite sides of a rib 23 formed in the upper end of the pocket 15 asshown, thus to allow the opposite sides 22 of the detent 20 to yield, ashereinafter explained. The open end 21 of the detent 20 is defined byoutwardly liaring edge portions as shown. The upper end portion 24 ofthe punch 16 is adapted to be yieldably projected in the detent 20 forreasons hereinafter set forth. When the sections 11 are placed inconfronting relation to form the handle 10, the detent 20 will be firmlyheld in the pocket 15.

The handle may be of any approved shape such as suitable for holdingfirmly and comfortably in the palm of the hand.

In use the user places the punch 16 with its pointed.

end portion 16 upon the metal plate in which the design is to be made.He will first move the handle 10 relative to the punch 16 and, as thepunch 16 contacts the open end 21 of the detent 20, its movement will beresisted, thereby requiring application of added pressure upon thehandle by the user. In applying this added pressure, the punch 16 willbe moved with snap-like action into the detent, bringing the handle 10down upon the punch 16 in hammerlike action, thus to produce the desiredelect of an indentation upon the metal surface by the tip 16 of thepunch 16. When the added pressure is released from the handle, thespring 18 will be of suicient strength to project the punch 16 in adirection to withdraw its end 24 from the detent 20, thus placing thepunch 16 in condition for another tapping or punching operation upon themetal plate.

My improved structure eliminates the use of a tapping hammer and alsoprovides a punch which may be easily and comfortably operated by the useof but one hand of the user, and one which produces a desired uniformityof indentations.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A tapping tool for producing a design formed of a series ofindentations comprising (a) a body providing a handle having an internalpocket between its opposite end portions and an elongated bore extendingfrom one end of the body and terminating into said pocket,

(b) said bore intermediate its opposite end portions providing anelongated enlarged recess,

(c) a punch slidably positioned in the bore and normally having an endportion projecting from said one end of said body,

(d) a spring arranged in the recess and encircling the punch,

Y(e) an integral stop carried'by and movable with the punch andengageable with one end of said spring,

(f) a yieldable detent in said pocket adjacent the inner end of thepunch,

(g) said detent being open at one end to yieldably receive said innerend of said punch when said body is initially moved a predetermineddistance longitudinally of said punch,

(h) said detent acting to resist movement of the body relative` to thepunch to require increased applied force applied on the body to move thelatter in hammerlike action against the punch,

(i) said spring acting on said stop to lproject the punch fromryieldablecontact with the ldetent and from the end of said punch.

n References Cited v UNITED STATES "PATENTS Michael 30-367 'Moshierlll-52.35 Sweet 30-367 Maxim 30-367 Saxton 30-367 FOREIGN PATENTS GreatBritain.

CHARLES lW. LANHAMr-Primary Examiner. G. P. CROSBY, AssistantExczrm'lzer.`

